Ophthalmoscope with integral printer

ABSTRACT

An ophthalmoscope  800  includes a lens  802  and an eyepiece  801  by which an optometrist, ophthalmologist or general medical practitioner can examine the interior of a patient&#39;s eye. The ophthalmoscope includes a handle  803  within which there is situated a printer to provide an instantaneous permanent record of an image as viewed. Upon activation of a trigger  817 , a permanent graphic image is printed onto a sheet  816  that passes out of the handle  803  via slot  804.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The following invention relates to a device having an in-builtimage sensor and an internal print engine. More particularly, theinvention relates to an ophthalmoscope having an internal printer.

[0002] Conventional ophthalmoscopes include a lens associated with aneyepiece through which a general medical practitioner, optometrist orophthalmologist might view the interior of a patient's eye. Such devicesalso include a battery-operated light source to illuminate the inside ofthe eye for viewing.

[0003] It would be beneficial if a permanent graphic record of theappearance of the inside of the eye could be provided inexpensively andinstantaneously. This might be achieved by a hand-held ophthalmoscopehaving an internal printer adapted to print a graphic image of theretina for example as observed with the ophthalmoscope.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] There is disclosed herein a hand-held ophthalmoscope having abuilt-in printer for printing a graphic image of the inside of the eyeas received by the ophthalmoscope.

[0005] Preferably the printer is built into a handle of theophthalmoscope.

[0006] Preferably the ophthalmoscope includes an image sensor associatedwith a print engine controller which controls a print head.

[0007] Preferably associated with the image sensor and print enginecontroller is a micro-control circuit adapted to control a motor driverfor print media transportation and a motor driver for operation of aguillotine motor for severing a printed image from a roller of printmedia.

[0008] Preferably associated with the print engine controller is animage memory.

[0009] Preferably the print head is a monolithic pagewidth print head.

[0010] Preferably the print head is an ink jet print head.

[0011] Preferably the ophthalmoscope includes a light source forilluminating the interior of a patient's eye.

[0012] Preferably the printer includes a print engine assemblycomprising first and second sub-assemblies, the first sub-assemblyincorporating an ink source and print media and the second sub-assemblyincorporating a print head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The invention will now be described by way of example withreference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of a print engine, includingcomponents in accordance with the invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of the printengine;

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a three dimensional view of the print engine with aremovable print cartridge used with the print engine removed;

[0017]FIG. 4 shows a three dimensional, rear view of the print enginewith the print cartridge shown in dotted lines;

[0018]FIG. 5 shows a three dimensional, sectional view of the printengine;

[0019]FIG. 6 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of a print headsub-assembly of the print engine;

[0020]FIG. 7 shows a partly cutaway view of the print head sub-assembly;

[0021]FIG. 8 shows a sectional end view of the print head sub-assemblywith a capping mechanism in a capping position;

[0022]FIG. 9 shows the print head sub-assembly with the cappingmechanism in its uncapped position;

[0023]FIG. 10 shows an exploded, three dimensional view of an air supplyarrangement of the print engine;

[0024]FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of components incorporatedinto an ophthalmoscope having a built-in printer; and

[0025]FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of an ophthalmoscopehaving a printer built into its handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] In FIGS. 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, reference numeral500 generally designates a print engine, in accordance with theinvention. The print engine 500 includes a print engine assembly 502 onwhich a print roll cartridge 504 is removably mountable.

[0027] The print cartridge 504 is described in greater detail in ourco-pending applications U.S. Ser. Nos. 09/607,993 AND 09/607251, thecontents of that disclosure being specifically incorporated herein byreference.

[0028] The print engine assembly 502 comprises a first sub-assembly 506and a second, print head sub-assembly 508.

[0029] The sub-assembly 506 includes a chassis 510. The chassis 510comprises a first molding 512 in which ink supply channels 514 aremolded. The ink supply channels 514 supply inks from the print cartridge504 to a print head 516 {FIGS. 5 to 7) of the print head sub-assembly508. The print head 516 prints in four colors or three colors plus inkwhich is visible in the infra-red light spectrum only (hereinafterreferred to as ‘infra-red ink’). Accordingly, four ink supply channels514 are defined in the molding 512 together with an air supply channel518. The air supply channel 518 supplies air to the print head 516 toinhibit the build up of foreign particles on a nozzle guard of the printhead 516.

[0030] The chassis 510 further includes a cover molding 520. The covermolding 520 supports a pump 522 thereon. The pump 522 is a suction pump,which draws air through an air filter in the print cartridge 504 via anair inlet pin 524 and an air inlet opening 526. Air is expelled throughan outlet opening 528 into the air supply channel 518 of the chassis510.

[0031] The chassis 510 further supports a first drive motor in the formof a stepper motor 530. The stepper motor 530 drives the pump 522 via afirst gear train 532. The stepper motor 530 is also connected to a driveroller 534 (FIG. 5) of a roller assembly 536 of the print cartridge 504via a second gear train 538. The gear train 538 engages an engageableelement 540 (FIG. 2) carried at an end of the drive roller 534. Thestepper motor 530 thus controls the feed of print media 542 to the printhead 516 of the sub-assembly 508 to enable an image to be printed on theprint media 542 as it passes beneath the print head 516. It also to benoted that, as the stepper motor 530 is only operated to advance theprint media 542, the pump 522 is only operational to blow air over theprint head 516 when printing takes place on the print media 542.

[0032] The molding 512 of the chassis 510 also supports a plurality ofink supply conduits in the form of pins 544 which are in communicationwith the ink supply channels 514. The ink supply pins 544 are receivedthrough an elastomeric collar assembly 546 of the print cartridge 504for drawing ink from ink chambers or reservoirs 548 (FIG. 5) in theprint cartridge 504 to be supplied to the print head 516.

[0033] A second motor 550, which is a DC motor, is supported on thecover molding 520 of the chassis 510 via clips 552. The motor 550 isprovided to drive a separating means in the form of a cutter armassembly 554 to part a piece of the print media 542, after an image hasbeen printed thereon, from a remainder of the print media. The motor 550carries a beveled gear 556 on an output shaft thereof. The beveled gear556 meshes with a beveled gear 558 carried on a worm gear 560 of thecutter assembly 554. The worm gear 560 is rotatably supported viabearings 562 in a chassis base plate 564 of the print head sub-assembly508.

[0034] The cutter assembly 554 includes a cutter wheel 566, which issupported on a resiliently flexible arm 568 on a mounting block 570. Theworm gear 560 passes through the mounting block 570 such that, when theworm gear 560 is rotated, the mounting block 570 and the cutter wheel566 traverse the chassis base plate 564. The mounting block 570 bearsagainst a lip 572 of the base plate 564 to inhibit rotation of themounting block 570 relative to the worm gear 560. Further, to effectcutting of the print media 542, the cutter wheel 566 bears against anupper housing or cap portion 574 of the print head sub-assembly 508.This cap portion 574 is a metal portion. Hence, as the cutter wheel 566traverses the capped portion 574, a scissors-like cutting action isimparted to the print media to separate that part of the print media 542on which the image has been printed.

[0035] The sub-assembly 506 includes an ejector mechanism 576. Theejector mechanism 576 is carried on the chassis 510 and has a collar 578having clips 580, which clip and affix the ejector mechanism 576 to thechassis 510. The collar 578 supports an insert 582 of an elastomericmaterial therein. The elastomeric insert 582 defines a plurality ofopenings 584. The openings 584 close off inlet openings of the pins 544to inhibit the ingress of foreign particles into the pins 544 and, in sodoing, into the channels 514 and the print head 516. In addition, theinsert 584 defines a land or platform 586 which closes off an inletopening of the air inlet pin 524 for the same purposes.

[0036] A coil spring 588 is arranged between the chassis 510 and thecollar 578 to urge the collar 578 to a spaced position relative to thechassis 510 when the cartridge 504 is removed from the print engine 500,as shown in greater detail in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The ejectormechanism 576 is shown in its retracted position in FIG. 4 of thedrawings.

[0037] The print head sub-assembly 508 includes, as described above, thebase plate 564. A capping mechanism 590 is supported displaceably on thebase plate 564 to be displaceable towards and away from the print head516. The capping mechanism 590 includes an elongate rib 592 arranged ona carrier 593. The carrier is supported by a displacement mechanism 594,which displaces the rib 592 into abutment with the print head 516 whenthe print head 516 is inoperative. Conversely, when the print head 516is operational, the displacement mechanism 594 is operable to retractthe rib 592 out of abutment with the print head 516.

[0038] The print head sub-assembly 508 includes a print head supportmolding 596 on which the print head 516 is mounted. The molding 596,together with an insert 599 arranged in the molding 596, defines apassage 598 through which the print media 542 passes when an image is tobe printed thereon. A groove 700 is defined in the molding 596 throughwhich the capping mechanism 590 projects when the capping mechanism 590is in its capping position.

[0039] An ink feed arrangement 702 is supported by the insert 599beneath the cap portion 574. The ink feed arrangement 702 comprises aspine portion 704 and a casing 706 mounted on the spine portion 704. Thespine portion 704 and the casing 706, between them, define ink feedgalleries 708 which are in communication with the ink supply channels514 in the chassis 510 for feeding ink via passages 710 (FIG. 7) to theprint head 516.

[0040] An air supply channel 711 (FIG. 8) is defined in the spineportion 704, alongside the print head 516.

[0041] Electrical signals are provided to the print head 516 via a TABfilm 712 which is held captive between the insert 599 and the ink feedarrangement 702.

[0042] The molding 596 includes an angled wing portion 714. A flexibleprinted circuit board (PCB) 716 is supported on and secured to the wingportion 714. The flex PCB 716 makes electrical contact with the TAB film712 by being urged into engagement with the TAB film 712 via a rib 718of the insert 599. The flex PCB 716 supports busbars 720 thereon. Thebusbars 720 provide power to the print head 516 and to the other poweredcomponents of the print engine 500. Further, a camera print enginecontrol chip 721 is supported on the flex PCB 716 together with a QAchip (not shown) which authenticates that the cartridge 504 iscompatible and compliant with the print engine 500. For this purpose,the PCB 716 includes contacts 723, which engage contacts 725 in theprint cartridge 504.

[0043] As illustrated more clearly in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the printhead itself includes a nozzle guard 722 arranged on a silicon wafer 724.The ink is supplied to a nozzle array (not shown) of the print head 516via an ink supply member 726. The ink supply member 726 communicateswith outlets of the passages 710 of the ink feed arrangement 702 forfeeding ink to the array of nozzles of the print head 516, on demand.

[0044] In FIG. 10, the air supply path for supplying air to the printhead 516 is shown in greater detail. As illustrated, the pump 522includes an impeller 728 closed off by an end cap 730. The cover molding520 of the chassis forms a receptacle 732 for the impeller 728. Thecover molding 520 has the air inlet opening 734 and the air outletopening 736. The air inlet opening 734 communicates with the pin 524.The air outlet opening 736 feeds air to the air supply channel 518which, in FIG. 10, is shown as a solid black line. The air fed from theair supply channel 518 is blown into the print head 516 to effectcleaning of the print head. The air drawn in via the pump 522 isfiltered by an air filter 738, which is accommodated in the printcartridge 504. The air filter 738 has a filter element 740 which may bepaper based or made of some other suitable filtering media. The filterelement 740 is housed in a canister, having a base 742 and a lid 744.The lid 744 has an opening 746 defined therein. The opening 746 isclosed off by a film 748 which is pierced by the pin 524. The advantageof having the air filter 738 in the print cartridge 504 is that the airfilter 738 is replaced when the print cartridge 504 is replaced.

[0045] It is an advantage of the invention that an air pump 522 isdriven by the stepper motor 530, which also controls feed of the printmedia to the print head 516. In so doing, fewer components are requiredfor the print engine 500 rendering it more compact. In addition, as thesame motor 530 is used for operating the air pump 522 and for feedingthe print media 542 to the print head 516, fewer power consumingcomponents are included in the print engine 500 rendering it morecompact and cheaper to produce.

[0046] It is also to be noted that, in order to make the print engine500 more compact, the size of the print engine assembly 502 is such thatmost of the components of the assembly 502 are received within afootprint of an end of the print cartridge 504.

[0047] In FIG. 11 there is schematically depicted in block diagram formthe key internal components of an ophthalmoscope having an internalprinter. The printer would typically utilize a monolithic print head 814which could be the same as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to10, but could alternatively be another compact print head capable ofprinting on photograph-sized print media. An image sensor 806 receivesimages from a lens 802 (FIG. 12) of the ophthalmoscope. Image data fromthe image sensor 806 is fed to a print engine controller 813 whichcontrols the print head 814. A memory 815 is associated with the printengine controller and stores an image memory. This image memory might bestored upon depression of a trigger 817 for example.

[0048] A micro-controller 807 associated with the image sensor and printengine controller controls a motor driver 809 which in turn drives amedia transport device 810. This might be the same as stepper motor 530described earlier.

[0049] The micro-controller 807 also controls a motor driver 811 whichin turn controls a guillotine motor 812 to sever a printed sheet from anin-built roll of print media after an image is printed. A sheet beingdriven by media transport device 810 is shown in dotted lines at 816 inFIG. 12. The guillotine might be of the form of cutter wheel 566described earlier.

[0050] In FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings there is schematicallydepicted an ophthalmoscope 800 having its lens or lenses 802 directed atthe eye of a patient. A light source 818 atop of the ophthalmoscopedirects light through the pupil into the eye to illuminate the retina.The optometrist, ophthalmologist or general practitioner can view theilluminated eye interior using eyepiece 801.

[0051] The ophthalmoscope has a handle 803 within which there isprovided a power source such as a dry cell battery and a print enginesuch as that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 powered thereby.The casing of the handle 803 includes a slot 804 through which a sheet816 having a printed image thereon can be dispensed. A trigger 817 isprovided to initiate a printing operation.

[0052] The image sensor 806 can receive an image as seen via eyepiece801 and lens 802, perhaps by a conventional arrangement of mirrors. Asan alternative, the lens 802 might direct an image upon an image sensor806 located therebehind and the eyepiece 801 might instead be a smallelectronic image display panel for example.

[0053] In use, an optometrist, ophthalmologist or other doctor holdinghandle 803 of ophthalmoscope 800 would use eyepiece 801 to view theinterior of a patient's eye by directing lens 802 through the pupil. Theophthalmoscope might be provided with an adjustment for rotating thelens 802 and focusing ferrule to achieve a clear and sharp image of theretina. When ready, the trigger 817 can be depressed to activate theprint engine controller to print an image stored in memory 815. Thiswould in turn activate the micro-controller 807 to activate the mediatransport 810 and guillotine 812. A printed image 816 having passed outof handle 803 via slot 804 would then be available as a permanent recordand for viewing by the doctor and patient.

[0054] While particular embodiments of this invention have beendescribed, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that thepresent invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description,and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalencyof the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. It willfurther be understood that any reference herein to known prior art doesnot, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admissionthat such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art towhich the invention relates.

We claim:
 1. A hand-held ophthalmoscope having a built-in printer forprinting a graphic image of the interior of a patient's eye as receivedby the ophthalmoscope.
 2. The ophthalmoscope of claim 1 wherein theprinter is built into a handle of the ophthalmoscope.
 3. Theophthalmoscope of claim 1 including an image sensor associated with aprint engine controller which controls a print head.
 4. Theophthalmoscope of claim 3 wherein associated with the image sensor andprint engine controller is a micro-control circuit adapted to control amotor driver for print media transportation and a motor driver foroperation of a guillotine motor for severing a printed image from aroller of print media.
 5. The ophthalmoscope of claim 3 whereinassociated with the print engine controller is an image memory.
 6. Theophthalmoscope of claim 3 wherein the print head is a monolithicpagewidth print head.
 7. The ophthalmoscope of claim 3 wherein the printhead is an ink jet print head.
 8. The ophthalmoscope of any one of thepreceding claims including a light source for illuminating the interiorof a patient's eye.
 9. The ophthalmoscope of claim 1 wherein the printerincludes a print engine assembly comprising first and secondsub-assemblies, the first sub-assembly incorporating an ink source andprint media and the second sub-assembly incorporating a print head.